What is novelWriter?
novelWriter is a free, open-source editor for novels, released under the GPL-3.0 license by The Saga Software Project. A book is assembled from many small plain-text documents written in a Markdown-like syntax, with meta data tags for comments, synopses and cross-references to project notes. It is built for Linux and Windows; the macOS installer has been discontinued for now.
novelWriter is free to use. See every plan
Good for
- Novelists on Linux or Windows who want a free plain-text editor
- Writers who keep manuscripts under version control or file sync
- Books with many scenes and cross-referenced notes
Worth knowing
- macOS DMG releases were discontinued as of release 2026.1; on a Mac it runs only by installing the Python package.
- The Windows installer is made for Windows 10 or newer.
- It is scoped to novels and short fiction and uses its own Markdown-like syntax, not standard Markdown.
- No web or mobile version is offered.
Key features
- Project tree of documents
- A novel is broken into as many documents as needed. They can be dragged into a custom order, organised into folders and given sub-documents.
- Tags and references
- Keyword and value tags in a document link it to project notes. References are clickable, and a References box lists every document that points back to the one being viewed.
- Novel View and Outline View
- The Novel View shows the book by headings instead of files. The Outline View lists chapters and scenes with their meta data and cross-references in configurable columns.
- Build Manuscript
- Assembles chosen files into a manuscript, an outline draft or a notes document, which can be printed or saved as Open Document, Word, PDF, HTML or Markdown.
- Plain-text storage
- Projects are stored as human-readable text files, a format the project describes as well suited to version control software and file synchronisation tools.
- Focus Mode and themes
- Focus Mode hides the project tree and view panel so the editor fills the window. Colour, icon and editor syntax themes are chosen separately, in light and dark variants.
novelWriter pricing
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- The whole application is free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license. The site has a Donate link for optional contributions.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | The complete editor: AppImage, Flatpak and Debian packages for Linux, a setup installer for Windows 10 or newer, and a Python package. |
Read from novelwriter.io on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with novelWriter before you buy.
novelWriter alternatives
- novelWriter vs bibisco
Free plan · from $3.49/mo
- novelWriter vs yWriter
Free plan · from $5.49 one-time
- novelWriter vs Scrivener
Free trial · from $23.99 one-time
Common questions
Is novelWriter free?
Yes. novelWriter is free to use. The whole application is free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license. The site has a Donate link for optional contributions.
How much does novelWriter cost?
novelWriter lists one plan. Free: $0. Prices were read from novelwriter.io on Oct 9, 2026.
What platforms does novelWriter work on?
novelWriter is available on Linux, Windows and macOS.
Does novelWriter have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. novelWriter is listed for Linux, Windows and macOS.
Does novelWriter have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. novelWriter is listed for Linux, Windows and macOS.
Is novelWriter open source?
Yes. novelWriter is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes novelWriter?
novelWriter is made by The Saga Software Project. It dates from 2018.
What are the alternatives to novelWriter?
The closest alternatives to novelWriter in our directory are Manuskript, bibisco, yWriter, Scrivener and Zettlr. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with novelWriter.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026.